Flies

Blow flies are attracted to decaying food, meat, and other organic matter. Garbage that has been left out is a prime source of fly infestation.

Fruit flies can be incredibly difficult to eradicate, as they often breed in drains, garbage disposals, and other similarly hard to reach areas.

There are over 100 different pathogens known to be transmitted by house flies, making them very dangerous pests to have in your home.

What are flies?

Flies are insects that have a single pair of wings. There are many different kinds of flies that pose threats to property owners around the country, but the professionals at Big Blue Bug mostly see the blow or bottle fly, the fruit fly and the house fly in Providence, Worcester, Shrewsbury, and elsewhere in New England.

What do they look like?

Blow flies (also known as bottle flies) are approximately 1/8 of an inch to 5/8 of an inch long, similar to the size of a house fly. They have sponging mouthparts that allow them to suck up liquids and their antennae are feathery. They are metallic blue, green or brassy colored and can sometimes be black.

Fruit flies are tiny, approximately 1/8 of an inch long, including their wings. They have antennae with a feathery bristle and wings with thickened front margins that intersect in two places. They are usually tan/brownish yellow or brownish black with bright red eyes.

The house fly is between 1/8 of an inch and 1/4 of an inch long and dull gray. They have 2 velvety strips on their faces and the thorax has 4 narrow strips. They also have sponging mouthparts and feed on liquids.

Do flies bite?

Some flies do have a penchant for biting, but not blow flies, fruit flies or house flies. The flies that do bite include horse flies, deer flies, black flies and mosquitoes, among others. When these flies bite, they can leave an uncomfortable and itchy spot that turns red.

Are they dangerous?

Yes, flies can be dangerous. House flies, for example, have the ability to spread diseases by collecting pathogens on their legs and the hairs of their bodies and then depositing these pathogens on the foods that we eat. House flies are known to spread over 30 bacterial and protozoan diseases, including typhoid fever, tuberculosis, dysentery, anthrax, polio, diarrhea, cholera, conjunctivitis, tapeworm, pinworm and hookworm.

What are the signs of a fly infestation?

You will definitely know if you have an infestation of flies! You’ll see flies everywhere, swarming your home in many different rooms, but especially in the kitchen, near your food sources.

Why do I have flies?

You probably have flies in your home or business because they have found a way inside and are looking for a source of food and a safe place to breed. Different flies prefer different types of foods, so some may be attracted to meat, animal carcasses (including birds and other small animals), decaying vegetation, garbage and excrement. Flies are also attracted to fresh fruits and vegetables, including bananas, strawberries, peaches and tomatoes as well as fermenting liquids, including beer, cider, wine and vinegar.

How do I get rid of flies?

Getting rid of flies in and around your environment can be quite a challenging task. You must eliminate all the possibly entry points as well as any sources of food that may be attracting flies. If you don’t fully eliminate the sources of infestation, you can quickly find that these pests will return with full force. Contact the professionals at Big Blue Bug for quick and efficient pest removal and services to keep pests from returning.

Fly prevention tips from Big Blue Bug Solutions

Fly prevention requires a significant amount of sanitation that must be kept up at all times. Flies can be very difficult to completely prevent because they enjoy a wide variety of food sources and will breed in many different places, so it can be difficult for home and business owners to realize exactly what is attracting these pests. If you have a fly infestation on your property, contact the knowledgeable professionals at Big Blue Bug Solutions. We are committed to helping you keep your property pest free and we have the pest control techniques necessary to help eliminate flies that may be posing a threat to your health, home and property.

There are some who joke and say that we have four seasons here in Maine: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction, but that's not true. Summer in Maine is filled with trips to the lake, mountain hikes, baseball games, trips down the…

Customer Testimonials

I just had to write and compliment the gentleman that provided extermination service to my home today. This is the first time I used the services of New England Pest Control. I am a widow living alone in a and it seemed as though the bees etc had taken over the exterior of my home. Your service person, Kevin Tidd, came to my home today and spent a lot of time listening to my concerns and then checking and spraying every area of the house. He was polite and knowledgeable and I would not hesitate…"

Vera Johnston, RI

Hello there, I just wanted to let you know that we were extremely happy with your technician Doug Goodwin’s first visit in our building at Grafton Crossings, 135 Westboro Road in North Grafton, MA.Not only did he work thoroughly, he was also extremely helpful in explaining current activities, replaced traps as necessary and gave some valuable advice. He was very aware of the fact that there were customers in the store, which required an even more sensitive handling of his work…"

Simone L. North Grafton, MA

The actual treatment work was performed by Mr. George Sweet. I cannot say enough how pleased we were with his excellent attitude, demeanor, courtesy and especially his outstanding workmanship. His obvious pride as an employee of New England Pest Control was evident throughout the time and effort he demonstrated while here.

We were especially pleased with his (Mr. Sweet's) attention to detail to return the property to the condition it was prior to the termite treatment process.

John A. And Joanna Ciliberto Termite Free In Rhode Island

I am writing to sing the praises of Mike, who just left my house for the second of two visits. I called this morning with a problem: clusters of flies invaded our house last night. I called at about 7:45 this morning, and by 9:30, Mike was here. (Thank you, New England Pest Control! That is why we have been customers for nearly 30 years!) He looked at the flies I had saved, went to his truck for an identifying manual, walked through the house, looking carefully everywhere, and gave an…"

Judith Providence, RI

On behalf of my neighbors, I want to thank you and your staff for a job well done, not only today but in the past. The NE PEST CONTROL organization should be proud of their workers. It's been my privilege to have them work in a superior manner. Also thank TED for a job well done.